Rewrite: The Cold Equations
by x-eleven
Summary: This one off comes from the new "Twilight Zone" series, Season 3, #16 (Original date: 7 Jan, 1998) It was based on a hideous short story that was published in one of those sci-fi anthology 'zines in 1954. Even at the time, it got the horrible reviews it so richly deserved. so I fixed it.


**Rewrite: The Cold Equations**

_On the frontier, any frontier, there can be little margin for error. Just as the first covered wagons making their way across the American desert had a finite supply of food and water, so too on this even vaster frontier, are there laws that must be strictly observed._

_Thomas Barton has been piloting Emergency Dispatch Ships for five years. He has never been faced with this particular law of the frontier, until now. Thomas Barton is about to discover first hand that there are limits even here, in the boundless reaches of the Twilight Zone._

So far, this trip had gone just like every other one: uneventful. It was the hardest part of the whole job, the being alone, out of contact, the sheer boredom of automated systems that had never failed him. He was relegated to little more than sitting at the cockpit, monitoring annunciators that never reported anything out of the ordinary. He was well aware of what that meant: being ill-equipped to deal with a real emergency, why he took his semi-annual refresher courses and flight simulator training more seriously than did a lot of his colleagues. That was until he got a warning beep. He pressed a button on the annunciator panel to see what this was about.

"Computational error: unauthorized payload. Computational error: unauthorized payload. Insufficient fuel for mission completion at present mass", the on-board system announced. The display showed that the excess mass was 45.388 kilograms, and that this was located in one of the aft cargo bays.

He loaded a power pack into a laser pistol, and unsafed the weapon before making his way towards the rear of the ship. He made sure to not make a sound against the floor plates, as he made his way through the narrow passage.

Nothing looked unusual, as he entered the bay. Still, he held his weapon at the ready. There was one possibility: a bay that should have been empty for this trip.

Pointing his weapon: "Come out of there", he ordered.

Perhaps he wasn't heard? "I said, come out of there!", louder this time.

He tensed as he saw the door handle begin to rotate.

"Hold it right there", he ordered, as the door opened. "Come out real slow", he threatened.

"Alright, you got me. I know I shouldn't've done this..."

This was a young girl, perhaps late teens, wearing a flowing blouse and long skirt.

"Who are you?", Barton asked.

"I was going to Neemya, as a linguistics carrier there. That's when I heard your EDS was going to Woden, so I... uhhhhh... You see, my brother – Gerry – he works on Woden, with the government survey team. And... uhhhh... I haven't seen him for five years. I haven't seen him since he left Earth.

"You see, it was just the two of us growing up... Five years is a long time, and... I've missed him... I know I shouldn't've stowed away, that I was breaking some sort of regulations. Look: I'm not a freeloader. I can pay my way once we get to Woden. I have a Class B computer license, and I'm a linguistics specialist. I'm sure I can be useful, yannow".

She looked out the windscreen to Woden off in the distance. "This is nice..."

"What's your name?", Barton asked.

"Marilyn. Marilyn Lee Cross. My brother's Gerry Cross. You know him?"

"No", he said. "No, I don't".

"We goin' faster?"

"Yeah, I shut down the engines as we entered the Woden star system, trying to save a little fuel".

"Why?", she asked.

He didn't answer. Instead, he got on the radio: "Stardust: this is EDS 3, 4, G, 1, 1. Barton speaking, Priority Blue: I need to speak with Commander Delhardt".

"Are you... You aren't gonna rat me out, are you? Send me back, now that we're so close?"

"Acknowledging your Code Blue... Barton: patching you through..."

The video of the Commander appeared right away: "Barton, what seems to be the problem?", he asked.

"I have a stow away on board".

"I see... I assume you followed standard procedures?"

"No, Sir, I have not. Commander Delhardt, it's a rather unique situation... not a criminal, but a teenaged girl..."

"What?!", Delhardt asked, incredulous.

"Like I said, a teenager: she wanted to visit her brother who's living on Woden. She didn't know what she was doing"

"Fuck!", he said, "I don't need shit like this", he said it barely audible.

"Commander, is there another ship in the area? A freighter? Passenger liner? Another scout ship?"

"We're the only ship within a radius of forty light years".

"How about another EDS?"

"It'd never reach you in time".

"How about a ground-to-orbital shuttle?"

"No, I'm sorry, but there's no possibility of intercept", Delhardt explained. "There's no body out there to help.

"Barton, I wish to God there was something I could do, but there isn't...", he paused. "You do understand this don't you?"

"Yes", he replied with no enthusiasm about this.

It was beginning to dawn on Marilyn that they were hiding something.

"I'll get the ship's records to the coronor so he can make the necessary notifications". She missed that part. "Delhardt out".

"What did he mean?", she asked. He said nothing. How was he going to explain this?

"Are you gonna tell me what he means?"

"This ship is carrying serum to the Group One colony to treat an out break of Cholla Fever. You know what that is?", he asked.

"Never heard of it before".

"It's like meningitis, but much worse. Their supply depot was hit by a freak meteor shower. They lost everything.

"Fortunately, Group Two, where your brother is, wasn't hit and since they're 3000 miles across a sea, they're safe. However, they can't do anything to help, and so if this ship doesn't get there in time, 35 men could die".

"So you're saying I'm throwing off the schedule?"

Before he could answer, there was an incoming: "EDS come in. Ships records. EDS come in..."

"EDS: Barton here", he answered.

"We'll need all the data on the subject's identity stick", the officious-looking female bureaucrat requested.

"One moment", he told her.

"Could I see your ID stick?", he requested of Marilyn.

She handed it over: "Of course. I have nothing to hide".

"Uploading...", Barton said, as he placed the stick in the slot:

_ID Number: T837-Y41_

_Name: Marilyn Lee Cross_

_DOB: 7 July, 2040_

_POB: Grand Rapids, Michigan, American Commonwealth_

"At what time was the stow away jettisoned from the ship?", the bureaucrat asked.

"_WHAT?!_", Marilyn said. "Jettisoned?!"

"I'll get back to you on that", Barton replied.

"_Whatdoesshemeanjettisoned_?!"

"I should've..."

"She _can't_ be serious", Marilyn said.

"I should have said something as soon as I discovered you. I was hoping that Delhardt might have some ideas... I don't know... It's my fault".

_Warning: Insufficient fuel for mission completion. Moving to Condition Yellow_

They were sitting in the passageway between the cargo bays and cockpit.

"I didn't hurt anybody... I just wanted to see my brother", Marilyn sobbed.

"Nobody wants you to die. Nobody would let this happen if there was anything humanly possible to prevent it, but there isn't. These emergency dispatch ships are given exactly enough fuel to reach their destinations... maybe a little extra for atmospheric turbulence".

"And my extra weight will cause it to run out of fuel before we reach the ground..."

"Yeah, and we'll crash and die and so will 35 other people who're waiting for the serum", Barton finished that thought.

"What about the Stardust? Can't they come and pick me up?"

"No, they're too far away... by the time they could possibly get here, we would overshoot Woden completely, run out of oxygen. We'd be a ship of the dead by then".

"You talk like this happens every day!", she said angrily, "just like throwing some excess baggage overboard!"

"Don't you think I'm not gonna have to live with this every day for the rest of my life? Every night: when you come to me in my dreams..."

"Cry me a f'kin river. At least you'll still have dreams..."

"Don't you think that if there were anything – _ANYTHING_ – I could do, I would do it?!

_Entering Woden gravitational vector Phase One. Engine ignition must occur at T-105 minutes. Mass must be reduced._

Marilyn joined Barton in the cockpit. He was reviewing topological maps of Woden as she plopped into the jump seat.

"It's just a bunch of numbers, isn't it? Ratios? Equations... Nothing personal, it's just mathematics..."

"You're right. It is mathematics: H amount of fuel won't power M + X amount of mass..."

"X... that's me..: isn't it? Just the unwanted factor in an equation... I can go alone, or take 35 others with me".

"In case you're wondering, these EDS's don't have the most sophisticated systems aboard. I mean, there's no way you could pilot the ship by yourself".

"I know...", she sniffled. "Thanks for the thought though". She seemed momentarily lost in thought.

"Isn't there anything else..."

"...We could jettison? These things are designed pretty lean. There's hardly an extra kilogram..."

He picked up the laser pistol.

"Wait a minute... maybe... just _maybe.._."

Barton and Marilyn got busy, cutting away panels with the laser pistol, breaking down empty containers, removing service access plates, the rolls of cargo tie-down straps that weren't needed, a first aid kit, Barton's random personal junk. This included a video game console, civilian clothes he was planning on wearing around Woden, some books.

All piled into the airlock: "Think it's enough?', she asked, hopefully.

"We're about to find out", he said as he opened the outer door, blowing all the junk away.

The message came back: "Unauthorized load 24.407 kilograms"

"Dammit", Barton swore, "that's not quite half of what we needed".

"How long do I have before I have to leave?", Marilyn asked. It was nice while it lasted: the hope that something could save her.

"I have to restart in 75 minutes".

"Oh God, how could this happen so fast?"

"It's not like being back on Earth. Here: a frontier so vast, there is no margin for error. You make a mistake, there's no one to help you", he explained.

_Entering Woden gravitational vector Phase One. Engine ignition must occur at T-75 minutes. Mass must be reduced._

"You want to talk to him? Your brother? You want to talk with your brother? I think we're in range now", he offered.

"Yes", she whispered with a nod.

"EDS 3, 4, G, 1, 1 to Group Two on Woden, please copy?", he broadcast his appeal.

"EDS, Group Two, Woden. We copy", came an immediate reply.

"Gerry Cross, please, it's urgent".

"Gerry? He's not here right now. He's out on a reconnaissance, but should be back directly".

"Please notify him immediately then signal us. It's urgent".

"It seems to go faster, doesn't it?", Marilyn asked as she watched the count down to re-ignition. "I just want to hear his voice... I think I won't be so scared if I could just hear his voice... It's cold in here... Is it cold?"

"It's colder than it should be", Barton agreed. "It's because we're running minimal power now".

"Maybe... uhhhh... maybe I shouldn't wait, yannow... maybe I'm being selfish? Maybe it would be better... you know... for Gerry if you told him after..."

"No", he disagreed. "No, that's not what he'd want... he'd want you to wait".

"Is it getting dark, where he is?"

"Yeah, it's definitely night where he's at".

"I've hurt... everyone I love... I'm so stupid, selfish..."

"It's not your fault", Barton disagreed. "It really wasn't your fault and they'll understand that"

"I'll never be able to tell them... I took them for granted... All those little sacrifices they made... also what they had to do without... God!... Never be able to tell them how much I love them..."

"They already know", Barton reassured.

"I didn't do anything... I didn't do anything to die for".

"Please, I know you didn't. I know you didn't and I know you're not to blame, and I'm sorry. You understand me? I am so sorry..."

"I'll be OK..."

_Signal transmission from G-two, Woden, incoming..._

"Gerry?", she asked. Barton showed her how to key the mic and got out of the line of sight of the audio/visual.

"Cross here", Gerry said, none too pleased at this disturbance of getting a head start on a good night's sleep. "EDS come in..."

"Gerry? I wanted to see you"

"Marilyn?", he asked, glad to see his sister at long last. "Is that you?", he was smiling. The smile faded somewhat: "What are you doing on an EDS?"

"I wanted to see you, Gerry, so I hid on the ship"

"You hid?", he asked incredulous.

"Stowed away. I didn't know what it would mean..."

"Oh Marilyn... what have you done?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Gerry... I just wanted to see you".

"I'm sorry... don't... don't cry Sis. I didn't mean for it to sound that way... It's just that it's unfair, because of me..."

"Don't think like that, Gerry... Don't let me go knowing you feel like that..."

"EDS: have you called the Stardust? Is there anything?"

"There's nothing he can do. He tried everything... No one can help me now, I know that. I just wanted to say 'Goodbye' Gerry..."

"We're losing the signal", Barton advised.

"Gerry, you're fading away, so I have to say 'Goodbye' now... Maybe we'll see each other again? Maybe you won't be able to see, but think of me like that, I'll always be there, always".

"Always like that", Gerry agreed, "never any other way".

"Goodbye Gerry, I love you"

"Marilyn, I love you too"

_Warning: Fuel supply insufficient for mission completion at present mass. Condition Red._

Marilyn slowly plodded towards the airlock, Barton following behind.

"I'm ready", Marilyn said as she stood before the airlock door.

Barton said nothing as he pressed a safety override, and opened the inner door. A red light flashed and a klaxon sounded: the warning that there was just the one door standing between the interior of the ship and a sudden decompression.

She stepped inside slowly, and turned around. Barton felt a twinge of resentment. Was she trying to guilt-trip him? Why couldn't she make this easier by facing forward? With that, he closed the inner door. The light and klaxon stopped.

The handle was illuminated in red: the warning that the airlock was active. He put a hand on it...

_Woden: Group Two_

The screen faded to static; the EDS was out of range. Now Gerry didn't have to be strong, as he buried his face in his hands and wept.

"Sorry about your sister", the Group Commander offered, "we're all so sorry. You take off as much time as you feel you need".

"There isn't even... there won't even be a grave to visit..."

"We'll hold our own service for Marilyn".

Was his little sister really gone? He didn't know. If not now, then within the next few minutes... What should he do? Kill that EDS pilot? The thought occurred to him... No, that wasn't right. He was the last person to see her alive. He would have to see him, ask him about Marilyn...

_EDS 34-G-11_

"I... can't... do this!", Barton banged on the inner door with a clenched fist.

He made his final decision, and opened the inner door: "C'mon, we don't have a whole helluvalot of time"

"I thought...", she began as he took her hand. Leading the way to the cockpit.

"You can pray to God, the Devil, what other higher powers or spooks you do or don't believe in, that someone knew what they were doing".

_Warning: Reignition must take place at T-3 minutes. Mass must be reduced._

He pointed out the jump seat: "Take that skirt off", he ordered. She fumbled at the belt and waist band.

"This is no time to go all modest on me. You should've dressed more appropriately".

She took off the long, flowing skirt. He fastened the three point restraint around her. He took his place behind the control panels and strapped in.

_Warning: Reignition in T-90 seconds. Mass..._

"Shut up", he said as he silenced the warning. "I'm well aware of that".

"I thought..."

"Not now, Marilyn".

_Reignition..._

Marilyn was thrown back in her seat. This seemed counter intuitive as the EDS was flying backward. Acceleration is acceleration, regardless of whether it's increasing speed or decreasing it. The EDS was dropping into orbit around Woden.

Quiet returned, and the vibrations through the floor plates ceased.

"I... I... don't understand?", Marilyn was saying. "What was all that about? Why did you... You scared _shit_ out of me!"

"Yeah, it would've been so much simpler if I popped and dropped as soon as I saw you in that cargo bay, or took you directly to the airlock. After hearing your story, getting to know you even just a little bit... I thought I could pull that lever... I couldn't. I did say that there's a little extra fuel in case of turbulence or something like that. I hope it's enough, but that doesn't mean it'll be a smooth landing".

"Thank you..."

"Don't thank me just yet. We're hardly out of the woods. There's a good chance we'll burn up in the atmosphere. Even if we make it to Dark Phase, you'd better hope we don't encounter enough turbulence that I have to tap the verniers. Then we just might crater. No, Young Lady, we are a _long_ way from home".

_Woden gravitational vector Phase Two in T-8 minutes_

"What're you doing?"

"We could come in shallow, but that gives the heat shields that much longer to fail. Or we can come in steep and fast, but that means the heat shields overheat and fail. Either way, we burn up. I'm trying to find that happy in-between".

The final de-orbit "burn" brought more acceleration: "That's the last of it", Barton explained. "All the main engine fuel", Barton announced as the engines silenced, the acceleration over. He turned the EDS around, so that it was pointing in the same direction.

"Was it enough, you think?", Marilyn asked.

"No, it wasn't. We're coming in too fast".

"Thank you for the hope", Marilyn told him. "Thank you for trying... If we burn up, 'I'm sorry' doesn't seem to cut it..."

"Yeah, yeah you're right. I could've saved myself... And spent the rest of my life wondering 'what if', if there was anything I could have done to prevent it. I'd rather not, thank you so very much. If it happens, it happens. Space exploration has always been a dangerous game, regardless of how sophisticated the various systems become, regardless of how safe and routine it appears to people left on the ground. I knew that going in.

"As for the colonists, if we burn up, what can I say? Sucks to be them. There was never any guarantee, and they also knew that".

_Upper atmosphere in T-10 seconds..._

"We're about to find out if it was false hope or not".

It seemed to take forever, until the first faint vibrations, the first hint of a red glow seen outside the windscreens. Soon, the glow seemed to fill the entire windscreen.

_Warning: hull temperature 90% of design maximum..._

The glow was growing ominously brighter, and a good deal more red-orange than he was used to seeing during re-entries. The slight rush of the rarefied atmosphere was becoming clearly audible.

_Warning: hull temperature 100% of design maximum..._

"It's getting hot", Marilyn stated the obvious. They were both sweating as the interior of the ship assumed sauna-like temperatures.

"It can get a lot hotter", Barton reminded.

The glow coming from the heat shields was now a definite yellow.

_Warning: hull temperature 110% of design maximum. Hull breech possible..._

Barton really didn't need to be told that. He could see molten globules of the ceramic heat shields flying past the windscreen. He hoped one didn't come flying through the windscreen, and that was a very real possibility.

_Warning: hull temperature 120% of design maximum. Hull breech imminent..._

The last horrible sound of an explosive decompression they would hear in this lifetime never came. The bright glow faded, replaced with deep purple sky: they'd made it: Dark Phase. The sky brightened, the stars winking out, as blue skies replaced purple, and Woden spread out before them. It was always the same, even after five years. When did Woden make the transition from astronomical object to geographic? He couldn't tell.

"It's beautiful", Marilyn said. Better to see it from inside. The reason she turned back to Barton in the air lock wasn't to see him. It was to at least have one final view of where her brother called home for these past five years.

"Yes, yes it is", Barton agreed. He was gratified to see that there weren't any signs of storm systems ahead. That would certainly help with any sort of turbulence. It was a bright, clear day. So far, the descent was smooth, but the atmosphere was very thin. "This is what got me into the service".

It felt as thought something had struck the ship: "Turbulence", Barton called out, "jet stream".

_Woden Group One Ground Control_

"What's that jackass doing?!"

"I have no idea, Sir, but if he doesn't correct and soon, he'll be a good 100 kilometers down range".

"Get in contact..."

"I'm trying... either he's refusing to acknowledge our communications, or he's not receiving us"

_EDS 34-G-11_

"Aren't we coming in too fast?!", Marilyn asked.

"You noticed that too? I'm hoping to save enough fuel for the verniers to prevent a nose-over or cartwheel"

_Terrain! Terrain! Terrain!_

"Just a little more... just a little more", Barton told himself.

The EDS was coming in fast, headed for grass lands. It wasn't as safe as it looked. There was no telling what the grass concealed. The blades could also catch the passing ship, whip it into a cartwheel. The EDS wasn't designed to land this way. It should have come down vertically, settling on its landing gear on a pad.

He fired the forward thrusters, cutting the momentum, hopefully, enough.

"Crash position!", he ordered.

The EDS slammed into the ground and skipped back into the air. The whip saw was like one of those crazy carnival rides, the main difference was that you got off, maybe a bit dizzy, but otherwise OK. They wouldn't be OK if the ship dug in nose first.

There was the sound of shearing metal as the remainder of the heat shields broke away. Structural members groaned under the overloads, then cracked with a sound like several rifle shots. Hopefully, the fail safe was sufficient...

The ground was opening the bottom of the ship like a sardine can. He had to fire the verniers to keep the nose up. The tall grass grabbed at it like so many tentacles, pulling it this way and that. The ship wasn't slowing fast enough for Barton's taste. If only the verniers kept firing when he needed them.

After a couple of eternities, the EDS finally skidded to a stop. He blew the emergency exit, and undid the three point restraints. He jumped to the ground some six or seven meters below.

"C'mon, jump!", he ordered. "Before she blows! I'll catch you!"

Marilyn jumped. Catching her wasn't so easy, as he heard a sickening crunch and Marilyn's scream. He scooped her into his arms and ran into a small stand of skinny trees. It wasn't much, but some shelter was better than none in case what residual fuel ignited. Not enough to power the verniers, more than enough to cause a nasty explosion.

He looked back at the wide furrow he'd carved through the prairie, filled with shiny bits and pieces of twisted metal.

At the slightest touch, Marilyn's eyes widened, and she took in a sharp breathe. Her ankle was already twice the size of her good one.

"Looks like you broke it", Barton told her.

"Ow! Dammit!... Now what?", she asked.

"We wait until they pick us up", Barton explained. "They'd be tracking us, and will certainly have heard the ELT go off by now..."

_Woden Group One Ground Control_

The distinctive "PEEW PEEW PEEW" of an ELT filled the control room.

"Looks like he's down".

"Send a Hover-all. I want to see that damn fool as soon as you get him back here, assuming you don't have to scrape what's left of him off the ground. In which case, I'd rather not".

_EDS 34-G-11_

"Be right back", Barton said as he picked up a small, fallen tree. He was testing it, to see if it could support his weight. "If it hasn't blown by now, I don't think it will".

"Where..."

"The serum: we still need to get it delivered".

Barton shoved the tree into the open emergency exit, and made sure the end was secure enough for him to climb back up to the cockpit. It didn't help that the ship was leaning the other way.

As he made his way along the tilting floor plates, he felt the whole thing shift a bit. It wasn't so stable, and so he moved with greater care. The four cases of serum were still secure and undamaged. He unfastened the tie-downs, and took these along. Two cases at a time were all he could handle.

Back at the emergency exit, he lowered two cases to the ground, using the straps as a make shift pully. After the next cases, he climbed down, and carried them to safety.

They heard the hover-all before it came into view. Barton loaded the serum: "Be back in a sec", he said, leaving the crewman wondering why he wasn't getting on board. He reappeared, Marilyn in his arms.

"Careful with that ankle", he advised.

"We recovered the serum and the pilot, and a young female", the pilot was reporting back.

"_A young female?!_"

"That's correct: a young female"

They didn't need to ask: they'd heard all the chatter between the EDS and the Stardust.

"The condition of the EDS?"

"He totaled it, Sir. It's not going anywhere soon, and we don't have the equipment to move it".

_Woden: Group Two HQ_

The bell chimed. Gerry ignored it. It chimed again. Next, a persistent knocking: "Gerry! You in there?"

"Go away", he called back.

"Gerry, open up! It's your sister..."

He was up and at the door like a shot. If this was some sort of sick joke, then nothing could help this asshole. The door opened.

"Marilyn: she's alive!"

"How..."

"C'mon, the radio shack!"

"Commander", Gerry greeted the Commander of Group One.

"I wanted to inform you as soon as possible. I didn't believe it at first, but she wasn't jettisoned. I don't know how, a helluva job of piloting... Your sister made it to Woden. Of course, she'll be in Isolation so's she doesn't catch the fever. There was also an injury during the crash landing: a broken ankle. As to when transport can be arranged, that'll have to be worked out between the Group Leaders, once we're certain she hasn't caught it".

"Can I see her?"

"I'll patch you through".

"Marilyn?", he asked. "Marilyn, it _really_ is you! How? I thought... I'd lost you..."

"I thought I lost you too... I'll never take anyone for granted ever again... I'll try to make it up to..."

"You don't have to do anything. I'm glad you're still with us. We're all glad you're here with us".

"It was Mr. Barton. He remembered at the last second that there was some extra fuel. If we didn't hit too much turbulence, and we didn't. We needed a miracle, and Mr. Barton worked one. Only now... he's gonna be in some serious trouble".

"Don't worry about that. I'll see to it that he's taken care of. You take care of yourself. Hope to see you soon".

_Woden: Group One HQ_

"_B__ARTON__!_ Hellsamatter with you?!", Commander Delhardt was dressing him down. You were ordered to jettison the stow-away..."

"Sir: the 'stow-away' has a name: Marilyn, in case you've forgotten. I made a command decision..."

"You know the protocol, and you violated it, endangering not only yourself, but 35 colonists as well. That was _irresponsible_!"

"I respectfully disagree, Sir. If I had gone through with it, jettisoned Marilyn, I could not guarantee I'd be in any condition to safely pilot the EDS, especially with a critical maneuver coming up".

"You can say goodbye to your career, and probably your freedom..."

"Sir: I can live with that. I can always find another career; I can live with the brig. Marilyn can live with that as well, and even if she gets 20 years, she'll still get out a young woman. I'm sure her brother can live with it as well. I _can't_ live with knowing that I'd ended her life".

_Earth: San Fransisco: Interstellar Transportation Authority HQ_

"I have nothing to say", Barton said.

"We're just trying to help you help yourself. If you co-operate, maybe, you can get out of this with a minimal sentence", the JAG told him.

"I have nothing to say", he repeated.

"He lawyered up pretty quick", Commander Delhardt commented.

"Yes, he certainly did. This interrogation is over. You haven't been talking, have you?", the new arrival, a somewhat short, portly man with a silver mustache and hair said.

"Lucius"

"Julian"

Lucius Coltraine was either the slimiest lawyer on three worlds, or one of the most brilliant attorneys, depending on who you asked. They had no idea as to how Barton had retained his services.

"I suppose you're here to negotiate a plea deal?", Julian Russel, the JAG asked.

As Lucius opened his brief case: "No, what I have here is Mr. Barton's letter of resignation of his commission, with full honours, back pay for the work he did delivering the serum to Woden – with interest – full pension, and a generous severance bonus for his five years of service. You will, of course, agree to drop all pending charges against Mr. Barton and Ms. Cross".

"Surely you're joking?!"

"No, Julian, I am not".

"We aren't signing that!", Delhardt announced, confident and defiant.

"Very well, then, we have nothing further to discuss", Lucius said as he repacked his brief case. "We will avail ourselves of the right to a hearing before the Board of Inquiry, and a full court martial with jury".

"And your client will probably get twenty years", Julian threatened. "You would be well advised to at least hear our offer".

"Shall we, Mr. Barton?", Lucius offered.

"You're turning down any plea deal? I just want to be certain..."

"Oh my yes", Lucius replied as he turned at the door. "Of course, all your dirty little secrets will come out at the hearing and in open court. Good day, Julian".

"What are you talking about?", Julian asked.

"Well, for starters, how utterly incompetent your security is, to allow a teenaged girl access to one of your EDS's. It would seem this is an on-going problem with you people. You _actually_ have a complete protocol to deal with stow-aways, which, of course, is the whole reason why we're here in the first place. How is it that you can't seem to be able to keep them off your ships?

"Ms. Cross will, of course, be leading a parade of witnesses to the stand, all of whom were there that day, and will testify that they didn't see even so much as a single warning sign about what would happen should anyone hitch an unauthorized ride on an EDS. Being that it came as a_ major_ surprise to Ms. Cross, this negligence could be construed as malfeasance, and not mere misfeasance.

"Then there's the negligence of the ground crew that serviced Mr. Barton's EDS. They didn't discover the overloaded condition, didn't compensate by providing enough fuel, thereby endangering the lives of Mr. Barton, Ms. Cross, and the 35 colonists on Woden. They will be called to the stand to explain themselves.

"A 25 kilogram overload should be _well _within any sane margin of safety. That you cut everything so fine could also be construed as gross negligence".

"You wouldn't...", Commander Delhardt protested.

"You turned down our offer, I didn't turn down yours..."

"Those 'Earth Now' people..."

"Oh, yes, Senator Stimpson will probably have enough ammunition to finally get that bill out of committee and passed to defund all space exploration for the foreseeable future. Probably propel him straight into the White House. He'll undoubtedly pull the Commonwealth out of the International Space Agency".

"You would destroy progress?", Delhardt asked, incredulous.

"Not I, you already did it to yourselves. Maybe, sometime in the future, we will again explore the stars. But it won't be done by incompetent, unaccountable, irresponsible screw-ups".

"Alright, Coltraine! Your blackmail..."

"Blackmail is such an ugly word"

"OK! OK! OK! _Y__ou_ win".

"There: that's more like it", Lucius said, as he returned to the table. "Gentlemen", as he offered the documents again. Once signed, he took out a notarizing seal, stamped the documents, and auto filed them with the court by insta-fax.

"Are we through?", Delhardt asked.

"No, sir, not quite", Lucius said as he handed Julian and Delhardt two papers: "You have been served".

"What's this?", Julian asked.

"Cross and Cross versus the Interstellar Transportation Authority _et. al._, etc, etc, etc. Ms. Cross is suing for compensatory and punitive damages for the injury your negligence caused her. Gerry Cross is suing for undue emotional distress. You did mislead him into believing his sister was dead".

"It'll never..."

"Maybe not, but the Interstellar Authority is going to have _a lot_ of explaining to do. Court records are public records. Good day, gentlemen".


End file.
